Cassie's Sound Advice
by OracleDru
Summary: Cassie starts poking around her mother's love life. SamJanet pairing. femslash
1. Chapter 1

Cassie's Sound Advice

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters.

The sun was shining brightly through the trees and children were playing happily in the park. One of them was her own – well, not biologically hers, but hers in name and love anyway. She loved Cassie as if she had been her daughter her entire life and yet Janet couldn't seem to keep her attention focused on the little girl. A ten-year-old bundle of energy, full of love and compassion, and her mother couldn't seem to keep her mind off of a woman now lying mutely on a bed in the SGC infirmary. A woman who had just experienced something Janet would never understand, but wanted more than anything to share some of the pain she knew Sam was currently feeling. More than anything.

She sighed, blinking a few times and letting her vision settle on Cassie, the girl's long auburn hair streaming behind her as she ran toward the distraught woman seated on a bench watching her. Janet forced a smile as she welcomed her daughter into her arms and hugged her tightly, faking joy she knew she didn't have just yet.

"You don't want to keep playing, princess?" Janet asked, smoothing Cassie's hair and planting a quick kiss on her forehead, thankful the girl wasn't at the point yet where that sort of thing was embarrassing.

The alien girl shook her head back and forth, her long hair flying every which way as her grin faded into the recesses of her cheeks. "You okay, Mom?" she asked, genuine concern spread over her face as she sat down next to her mother.

A sad smile found its way onto Janet's face and stayed there as she draped her arm around Cassie's shoulders. The girl had only recently started to call her "Mom", but even that little spark of hope couldn't compare to the overwhelming sadness Janet felt suffocating her. "I'm just sad, Cass. I'll be okay."

Cassie nodded. "Sad because of Sam?"

"Yes, honey. Sad because of Sam," Janet replied softly, patting her daughter's hand and marveling at the perceptiveness in the little girl.

Nodding again, the girl scotched closer to her adopted mother and drew her knees up to her chest, something she had most definitely picked up from their good friend that they were currently discussing. They were quiet for a few minutes, each wrapped in their own thoughts before Cassie broke the silence with a quiet question that startled her mother a little, "You love her, don't you?"

Janet sat in stunned silence for a while, her eyes focusing on the swings instead of the girl on the bench beside her. After she had time to compose herself and think about the query, she finally replied slowly, "Of course I love her, sweetie. She's one of my best friends."

Cassie shook her head again. "No, Mom, not like that. Do you _love _her _love _her?"

The logic of a ten-year-old brought Janet's defenses down at last. She sighed heavily and nodded, finally turning toward her daughter. "Yes, Cassandra, I'm in love with Sam. But you can't tell her."

"Why not?"

"Because, baby, I don't want to ruin the friendship Sam and I have."

Cocking her head to the side, Cassie regarded her mother with large eyes, disbelief shining clearly through them. "But she loves you, too, I know she does."

Janet shook her head back and forth and ran her hand along her daughter's cheek lightly. "Aw, sweetie, that's very nice, but you don't know that for sure. Besides, wouldn't you like to have a father someday?"

"Sam's way cooler than any dad could ever be," Cassie answered quickly, a grin jumping quickly to her face.

Laughing out loud, Janet finally allowed the sentiment of the girl beside her fill her heart with hope, and she reached over to pull her giggling daughter into her arms. "Way cooler, huh?" she asked, her fingers digging lightly into Cassie's sides, tickling her and ensuing more giggles.


	2. Chapter 2

The doorbell rang at the Frasier household. Janet had just finished tucking Cassie into bed, shutting the door behind her when the sound reached her eyes. Perplexed at who would show up unannounced at her door, she made her way down the stairs, oblivious to the little girl who peeked out of the crack between her door and frame, curious brown eyes urging her forward.

Janet reached the door and Cassie reached the railings of the stairs, her small hands gripping two of them tightly as she peered down the staircase to the entryway below. Opening the door revealed a tall woman, clad in leather from almost head to toe, with the exception of the white t-shirt beneath her jacket. In her hand was a motorcycle helmet, her motorcycle most likely cooling off in the driveway, and her short blonde hair mussed ever so slightly from the effect of withdrawing the safety device.

Samantha Carter smiled sadly at her friend in the doorway, but had barely opened her mouth before a certain ten-year-old girl bounded happily down the stairs toward the woman standing at their door. "Sam!" Cassie yelled happily as she catapulted herself into the blonde's waiting arms.

"Hey, Cass," Sam whispered in the girl's ears as she squeezed tightly, her eyes sliding closed and her hands landing lightly on long brown hair, the helmet long forgotten on the stoop.

"Cassie, honey, you should be in bed," her mother admonished lightly, not blaming her daughter for wanting to say hello to their friend.

The girl nodded and pulled away from Sam, her hand finding Sam's quickly and pulling toward the stairs, forcing their visitor inside the house. "Can you tuck me in, Sam?" she asked, a huge grin covering her small face as her eyes pleaded with Sam to say yes.

Sam's blue eyes connected with Janet's dark ones, silently seeking approval. The doctor nodded and motioned toward the girl's bedroom upstairs. "Okay, Cass," Sam told the eager girl already leading her up the stairs, who was positively bouncing at the thought of the woman tucking her into bed. Sam shot Janet an amused grin before disappearing out of sight in the upstairs hallway.

Finally in the little girl's bedroom, Sam pulled the covers up toward Cassie's chin and sat down next to the girl on the bed. Looking up at this woman who held so much of her love and respect, Cassie smiled and yawned openly as she fought the fatigue that slept over her small body. "Can you sit with me for a little while?"

Sam nodded. "A little while, honey, but I do have to talk to your mom."

Struggling to keep her eyes open, Cassie nodded and snuggled deeper under her covers, trying to keep her vision on Sam. "Can you stay here tonight, Sam?" she asked, her words slightly slurring together as she yawned again in the middle of the question.

"I don't know, sweetie, we'll see," Sam answered, her fingers stroking the hair that splayed out on the pillow, effectively lulling the girl to sleep.

Her eyelids dipping lower, Cassie fought the sleep and continued with her train of thought. "You could move in with us," she commented, trying to keep her eyes open to see Sam's reaction.

Much like her mother's earlier that day, Sam's face changed to one of surprise, and took her time answering the girl. When she finally opened her mouth, her reply was soft and the girl in the bed had to strain to hear. "I don't know, Cass. That's up to your mother."

"She wants you to," Cassie answered, trailing off a little at the end, and her eyes slipping the entire way closed. Almost as an afterthought, she added sleepily, "Talked about it today. . ." But before she could finish the thought, she was asleep, with Sam staring down at her in disbelief. Straightening, she stood and watched the sleeping girl for a minute before shaking her head and leaving the room.

A little dazed, Sam made her way into the kitchen still shaking her head. Looking up, she noticed her friend had placed her helmet on the island table in the middle of the kitchen and was busy cleaning around it, putting away food and such. Sam smiled, noting how busy the doctor always seemed to be, especially since she was now a full time mother as well as physician.

At her approach, Janet glanced up and caught the confused expression painted on her friend's face and sighed loudly, placing her hands onto the island and leaning forward slightly. "Sam," she started, shaking her own head back and forth slowly. "What did she say?"

Silence ensued for a few minutes, and it seemed as if Sam was going to ignore the question. Finally she stepped around the island and right next to the smaller woman, their breath intermingling before Janet's caught in her throat at the closeness. That was the only sign Sam needed before dipping down and catching Janet's lips with her own, pressing hard against them as if she was afraid the shorter woman would pull away.

Feeling slightly lightheaded, Janet lost herself in the moment and stepped even closer, deepening the kiss. Much to her dismay, Sam stepped back and caught her breath, watching Janet closely for any sign of disapproval. Sensing none, she brought her hand up to the brunette's cheek and stroked it tenderly as she once again moved closer.

"Janet, I've wanted this for a long time. But if you don't want this, tell me so that I can stop now." Her blue eyes pleaded with Janet not to go, but the doctor knew she was deadly serious in her offer. Sam would never force herself on anyone, that was certain.

Shaking her head, Janet caught Sam's hand in her own and brought it to her lips, kissing it lightly. "I've wanted this for a long time, too, Sam. I would never turn you away."

Sam's face pulled into a wide grin, happiness exuding from every pore in her body as she pulled Janet into her arms and kissed her again. Janet returned every affection, her excitement doubled with the sight of her love happy once again – and the simple fact that she was the one who made her feel that way.


End file.
